to plank after the cat,
with as determined an enmity as though the pursuit had been through
a farmyard, followed us; a companion by no means unwelcome to
those, who, without provision or water, might have been compelled
to depend on this faithful animal for the preservation of their
lives.

A new difficulty now presented itself: Our boat leaked so fast
that three hands, two with hats and one with the bucket, were
unable to free her; but with the aid of the only knife we had
saved, and the fragments of the leashings, I filled some of the
seams, which helped to free her; but not so effectually as to
relieve a single hand from bailing.

About a league from the rock we hung on our oars, watching the
sea that ran mountains high, until day-light, when we pulled up
under its lee, but could discover neither fresh water nor a
particle of provisions, except a few pieces of floating bread
that we dared not eat. Fragments of boards and spars were
floating here and there, but the only article either of
convenience or comfort we could preserve was a large blanket,
which was converted into a sail and set; and being compelled by
the violence of the sea, we put her away before the wind,
steering S. half E.--a course that must have carried us far East
of our intended track, had it not been for the strong Westerly
current in St. Nicholas' Channel.

The rock on which we were wrecked, and from which we took our
departure in the boat, proved to be one of the N. E. range of the
Double Headed Shot Keys.

We steered the above course all that day, bailing and rowing
without a moment's cessation, and approaching, as was then
supposed, the Island of Cuba, the coast of which, except the
entrance of Matanzas and Havana, was unknown to us. We knew,
however, that the whole coast was lined with dangerous shoals and
keys, though totally ignorant of the situation of those East of
Point Yeacos. An hundred times during the day, were our eyes
directed to every point of the compass, in search of a sail, but
in vain--we were too far to the eastward of the usual track to
Matanzas.

As night approached the danger of our situation increased. We had
all been fatigued--some of us much bruised, by the disasters of
the preceding night; and our toils during the day, as may well be
conceived, were not much relieved by an incessant rowing and
bailing, without a particle of food to assuage our hunger or one
drop of fresh water to cool our parched tongues. Anxi